1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a device and a method of use thereof, for ensuring proper seating of a fastener during a surgical procedure. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a fastener applying surgical fastener applier adapted for measuring a load applied to the surgical fastener applier and delaying operation of the surgical fastener applier until the applied load reaches a predetermined value.
2. Background of Related Art
Fasteners have been used surgically to eliminate the need for suturing, which is both time consuming and inconvenient. In many applications, the surgeon can use a stapler apparatus, i.e., a fastener-implanting device loaded with surgical fasteners to accomplish in a few seconds what would have taken many minutes to perform by suturing. This reduces blood loss and trauma to the patient.
Conventional surgical fasteners have been in the form of ordinary metal staples, which are bent by the delivery apparatus to hook together body tissue. Typically, conventional staples comprise a pair of legs joined together at one end by a crown. The crown may be a straight member connecting the legs or may form an apex. Moreover, the legs may extend substantially perpendicular from the crown or at some angle therefrom. Irrespective of the particular configuration, however, conventional staples are designed so that they may be deformed to hold body tissue.
Since conventional staples require deformation and must cooperate with applicators having an anvil or other means to deform the staples, conventional applicators typically comprise complex structures and can be prohibitively expensive. Conventional applicators must embody structure functioning to not only eject the fasteners but to do so in a manner so that the fastener deforms properly and timely.
Two part fasteners have also been conventionally utilized, where a barbed staple is used in conjunction with a retaining piece to hold the staple in place. Typically, the two part staple comprises a crown or backspan and two barbed prongs which are engaged and locked into a separate retainer piece. In use, the staple is pressed into the body tissue so that the barbs penetrate the tissue and emerge from the other side where they are then locked into the retainer piece. Retainers prevent the staple from working loose from the tissue. The two piece fasteners cannot be unlocked and are not removable.
Like other conventional applications, however, the two piece fasteners require the staple delivery apparatus to have access to both sides of the tissue. Thus, as with the other conventional applications, two piece fasteners are limited since they cannot be used where access to tissue is from one direction only.
In those situations where access to body tissues is limited to one direction, as in grafting procedures, deformable surgical fasteners have been conventionally employed. As mentioned previously, however, the applicators commonly used in these situations embody an anvil cooperating with a fastener to deform it and consequently, tend to be of a complex design.
Advancements have been made in this area so that applicators functioning to attach grafts to tissue, for instance, are not required to embody an anvil and may, therefore, have a more simple design. In particular, fasteners with threads or barbs are used where access to tissue is available in only on direction, thereby eliminating the need for deforming the fastener. These fasteners require the fastener applier to be placed firmly and perpendicular to the tissue to ensure proper placement.